Baby Birds and Wolf Pups
by The-Seven-Eeveelutions
Summary: Back before The Angel Experiment Jeb saved Max and her family. But what if one got left behind? What if young Angel met young Ari back before he became the enemy? My first Fanfic.
1. Chapter 1: Life in Captivity

Disclaimer: I don't own Max Ride. James Patterson does and I give him full credit and extend my most sincere thanks.

Chapter 1: Life in Captivity

**Angel's POV**

My name's Angel. They first gave me that name. Why did they leave me? Why did Jeb leave me? He took Max Fang Iggy Nudge even Gazzy, my brother, away from this living nightmare that was our lives. But he left me here. Why? Did I do something wrong? Do I deserve to stay here, lock up like a freak? I guess I so or he wouldn't have left me. I don't deserve to be with someone as nice as them. I deserve to live here, in this create for the rest of my life. Why?

**Jeb's POV**

I was following orders. My orders were to take the bird-kids away. They didn't tell me why. But I knew they weren't finished with them. The School is never finished with them. They said I couldn't take Subject Eleven. Take the others, they said, but leave Subject Eleven. The experiments didn't like that too well. Asked me why I left her. So I put on the caring father/savior façade and told them that I would go back to get her as soon as possible. Max managed to calm the others down, but shot me a glance that dared me to lie. I rescued her but left Angel, so she doesn't quite trust me yet. I watch her care for the others. She's a true leader that one.

**Angel's POV**

*Sigh* Testing, always more testing. Now they're preparing me for hand-to-hand combat get this…with an Eraser! Erasers are half-breeds like me, but different. Part human, part wolf, and all predator. The scientists use them to get rid of any weak ill or useless experiment. Some of the stronger, more dangerous ones do battle with the Erasers. They don't survive. I saw three white coats enter with a boy, who looked to be about my age or so. He also looked sad. That confused me, how could an Eraser be feel sadness? How could an Eraser feel anything? They were born without emotion; without heart. It was a trap. It had to be, and I wasn't going to fall for it.

He and I fought for about 2 hours straight. It was…unexpected. For starters the boy didn't morph and use his teeth and claws to rip and shred like I heard other Erasers do in the dead of night. He punched and kicked with his hands and feet. He fought just about as well as I did and ever so slowly I felt curiosity spike up in spite of myself. I glanced up and saw that the scientist that were supposed to be watching our fight had left for awhile so, cautiously, I slid my arms down to my sides. My eyes met his and his met mine and I saw the confusion written on his face. I kept close watch, my already fast bird-kid reflexes ready to fight at moments notice, but the longer I watched him, the more convinced I was that he wouldn't attack.

**Please R&R. I need to know if it's good or no. If not I'll tear it down, If yes I'll write Chapter two. Pretty simple really.**


	2. Chapter 2: Friends Indeed

Author's Note: I'd like to thank myAPPLEromances and Spar Izawesome for reviewing and it and liking it. I was unsure if this was any good or not, but I'm glad you enjoyed it and I hope everyone else will too. Ok, enough sweet talk. On to the adventure.

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride. That honor still belongs to James Patterson.

Chapter 2: Friends Indeed

**Angel's POV**

We stood there, frozen, both unsure of what to do next. I had lowered my arms and attempted to look as non-threatening as possible despite the fact that my reflexes and instinct told me to take him out before he took me out. Confusion was still evident in his features, along with a trace of something that resembled distrust. That's when it hit me. For some reason this boy thought of me what I thought of him. He—he feared me? That didn't sound right. My arm involuntary jumped and he flinched. I focused my eyes on him. No, it didn't sound right and by all accounts it shouldn't in fact be possible, but it was true.

**Ari's POV**

I flinched, waiting for the attack but none came. This mutant was full of surprises. We were supposed to be ripping each other's throats out but instead we just stood there, staring at one another. If staring contests defeated people, over ¾'s of the world's population would've already dropped dead with the rest close to follow. Suddenly realization shone in her eyes and she began walking towards me. Coming closer…with…each…step? I backed up as fast as I could, an act which abruptly ended when I bumped into the wall. And she was still coming!

**Angel's POV**

Fear was radiating off the boy. No, I decided, he definitely _wasn't_ a threat. I stopped leaving plenty of room between us. He was obviously uncomfortable enough and, harmless or not, he's still an Eraser.

"Who are you?"

He looked like he was about to faint. "You can talk?"

"Of course." I didn't have to ask where that question came from. Most experiments aren't capable of high-level thinking much less talking. And we all would've been normal if it weren't for those stupid scientists.

"Don't hurt me." He whined.

I slowly felt myself nodding. "I won't hurt you if you don't hurt me." I should' kill him now before he decides to fang out and tear me to shreds, but there was something about him that wouldn't let me do it.

"Who are you?" He asked. "You're nice. Not like the others."

I smiled. "That makes two of us. My name's Angel."

"Angel. What a pretty name. I'm Ari."

"Hi Ari."

"Hi Angel."

"Um, Ari? If you don't mind me asking, d-don't take this the wrong way or anything, but um wh-when we were fighting earlier why didn't you change?"

"Change?"

"Into an Eraser. You know, with fur and fangs and everything."

"Oh. I can't. Well, I can but it's really hard and it hurts and I can't really morph when I want to it just happens and if I do morph then I can't stay like that for very long and I get really tired when it's over."

"How did you say all that in one breath?"

"I kinda hoped it would be so jumbled you wouldn't understand."

"Why?"

"Cause other human/wolf hybrids—what did you call us Erasers?—don't have that problem. They change easily whenever they want, wherever they want, and for how long they want. Not me."

**Ari's POV**

"I'm sorry, Ari. I didn't mean to make you feel bad." I sighed. It wasn't her fault; she couldn't have known. But what did that change in the grand scheme of things it didn't fix anything.

"I know, but it's more than that, you know? I didn't ask for any of this but it happened anyway. And now I'm stuck like this. I've got my whole life ahead of me and I can't even live it. I'm not sure how the others came about; they were just _here_. But I remember, Angel. I remember having a momma and a daddy and just being me. Being normal. And no one else does. Even among misfits I'm a misfit."

"You're different," she said sympathetically, "but that's ok because I'm different too so maybe…"

"Oh, you're thinking maybe we could be different together?"

"Well, yeah. Friends?"

"I've never had a friend here before. Sure why not. Friends." We shook hands on it. "Quick, get down!"

"What is it?"

"They're coming back, listen." She tilted her head and listened carefully for the sound of scientists walking this way. Once she heard it she fell to the floor moaning in pain. If I didn't know any better I'd of thought she was actually hurt. I leaned up against the wall and tried to look worn out.

"Looks like the boy got the best of Subject Eleven."

"Yeah, but it's still alive."

"What would you expect from a defective experiment? I say get rid of him right now."

"Sounds good to me."

"Gentlemen, please. Maybe we can use this to our advantage. We need to test Subject Eleven without harming it; maybe the Defect is the best way to do that."

"Maybe."

"Worth a shot."

And with that one picked me up and one picked her up took her back to her crate and me back to my prison. The next time I saw her again, I might really have to hurt her. I didn't want to do that. I don't believe it. I was supposed to kill her today and now I want to protect her. Because she decided we could be friends. That mutant's full of surprises.


	3. Chapter 3: Goodbye?

Author's Note: Happy 4th of July everyone.

Disclaimer: James Patterson still owns Max Ride. But this story's all mine.

Chapter 3: Goodbye?

**Angel's POV**

It had been three weeks since I last saw Ari. During that time I'd been poked, prodded, burned, mildly electrocuted, had blood taken from me, and had gross-looking sickly orange stuff injected into me. Just another day in paradise. Needless to say I was looking forward to seeing my only friend again, so when the Whitecoats said I was going to fight Ari again I got, well as close to happy as you can get here. So, Ari and I began the same old routine to bide our time until we talk again; this time we only had to fight for an hour or so before the Whitecoats left.

I smiled when I saw them leave. "Hey Ari, they really need to get better guards that need less coffee breaks, right? Although, I suppose that their not being interested and having better things to do is a good thing."

He smirked. "Good for us, yes but not good for whoever's life they're ruining in their spare time."

"I didn't think about it like that."

"I kind of have to, they make me watch it. Make me watch them destroy other creatures too."

"Monsters! All of them! It's bad enough they can get away with doing that kind of stuff to innocent people, but to make you _watch_? It's—it's inhumane, that's what it is!"

"Well you and I aren't exactly human so that's not a problem, right?" He was by my side and I was gripping his hands. Angrily, I looked into his eyes.

"So that makes what they're doing any less wrong?" I demanded. "I don't think so!"

"Shhh. No, you're right of course it doesn't." He tried to soothe me. "But there's really not anything we can do about it. This is our life, now." He paused. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that."

"About what?"

**Ari's POV**

She let go of my hands and I watched them come back into the third dimension before answering, "I overheard some of the Whitecoats talking about a group of bird-kids who escaped somewhere in Colorado."

"Bird-kids? Li—like me? No way!" She said positively bubbling with excitement. I nodded, not sure why she was so happy, but glad of it nonetheless.

"Ari don't you see? Those bird-kids are my friends." Well that explained it.

"Wait, if they're your friends, why aren't you with them?"

Her face fell. "I don't really know why," she said, "but I must not have been good enough or Jeb wouldn't have left me behind."

"_Jeb_ broke your friends out?" I asked, unsure of what I'd just heard.

"Yeah, he did. Why?"

"He's my dad." We both stared at each other in silence for awhile before Angel cautiously spoke up.

"If he's your dad, um, then wh—why did he, why did leave you behind? Why didn't he take you with him?"

"I don't know Angel, I just don't know."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"How could he do that?" Angel suddenly shouted in anger. "How could he leave his own son here, in this eternal nightmare? Doesn't he know what they did to you? Doesn't he care? What kind of dad is he?"

"Angel, please don't be angry. I never meant to upset you, I thought hearing that some others like you got out alive might make you happy."

"It did make me happy Ari. It's your dad that made me mad."

"Don't worry about it, ok? I mean its life, whoever said it was fair anyway right?"

"Right, but our lives seem to be a lot less fair than other people's."

**Angel's POV**

All of the sudden, an idea hit me. It was dangerous, it was scary, but together we just might be able to pull it off. "Let's do it."

"Do what?"

"Let's get out of here, let's escape like the others did."

"Where would we go?"

"Colorado. We'll live with Max and your dad and everyone and be safe and happy and never live in cages again."

"What if your friends don't like me? I'm not a bird-kid. I'm what they use to kill a bird-kid."

"I know you Ari and I like you. If my friends don't, then we'll just go somewhere else. Strike out on our own."

He looked like I'd just told him all this was a bad dream and I'd come to take him back to his mom and dad. "You'd do that for me?"

"Course. We're friends, right? Max said friends always look out for each other."

"Thanks Angel. Only how are we gonna break out?"

"I don't know, yet." I smiled at him reassuringly. "But don't worry. Between the two of us, I'm sure we can think of something."

**Ari's POV**

We didn't even have time to brainstorm one idea, though, because the scientists came back then and took us our separate ways. That night I couldn't sleep. I just kept thinking about dad and Angel's friends and getting out of here together and how happy it would make Angel.

Turns out, sleep would've been a pretty good thing to get after all. The Whitecoats decided to pit us against one another one last time, and this time, they stayed and not only watched but forced us to fight one another. If we tried to stop or even so much as take a break, they sent electric pulses through coils they placed on the floor last night. So, to recap—no sleep + fighting your friend to please insane scientists + electric currents (however small they may be) jolting trough your body = disaster.

The pressure, the pain, the fact that these freaks messed up our lives for no good reason except they were board that day…it was all too much. "I'm so sick of it all." I growled. But it was a little kid growl. It was a deep throaty almost wolfy growl. I felt my hands getting larger and was aware of fur spreading down my back. My teeth sharpened into fangs and my fingers into pointed claws.

I looked down at Angel. So small, so weak, so perfect. Perfect prey, that's what she is that's all she is. I balled my furred mitt into a fist and swung it at her awarded with a yelp of pain and labored breathing. Was she really so weak as to be taken down by only a punch? It wasn't all her fault, I guess, I was about twice her size.

"Ari?" I heard her ask in her feeble voice. "It's me Ari, it's Angel. I know you're in there somewhere. Come on Ari fight it!"

"Fight it?" I snickered at the prospect. "Now why would I do a thing like that? You see Angel; I'm not at anybody's mercy anymore. Not _daddy's_ not the Whitecoat's and not yours. I'm large and in charge now and nobody can stop me!"

"So you're really gonna kill me?" She tried to be brave she was just a year or so younger than I was and her voice began to break. "After everything we've been through together, you're just going to toss it all aside. Ari we became friends in place where kindness and friendship doesn't exist. We put aside our differences came and saw the world in similar light and just by doing so we were fighting our shared enemy. We were going to escape and be free and never live in cages again. Doesn't that mean anything to you? Don't you care?"

"I scoffed. "Of course, I don't know what I was thinking. Yes let's be FRIENDS!" I roared and charged at the girl, but she nimbly ducked under me and I ended up charging straight though the wall instead. I growled and turned and cornered her but she stepped on my foot as hard as she could and bit on my fingers till she drew blood. She ducked under me again and at the advise of the scientists who had been shouting and yelling since I'd tore the hole in the wall, I looked behind me to see her about two feet in the air and gaining both height and distance.

"Get back here and fight!" I commanded. With my heightened wolf senses I heard let out a small choked sob and watched as she shook her head.

"No." She whispered. "I won't fight my friend. I know you say we're not friends anymore, but we were once and it's those memories I'll keep close to my heart." She made an arm gesture to the rubble around me. "Not these. Goodbye Ari and I hope someday you find the happiness and respect you're looking for."

And with that she turned and flew albeit shaky and unevenly across the sky in hopes of a better life. But mark my words I _will _find her again and when I do she'll be praying for death.

**Normal POV**

From the concealed shadows of the trees, a man watched the entire scene unfold. He saw the Human Avian half-breed take to the skies and he saw where she landed. She couldn't hear him as he approached, her entire focus centered on soft crying and whimpering. He cleared his throat to announce himself without frightening the child, but startled her anyway.

"Angel," He began gently, "come with me, I'll take you somewhere safe."

"Go away Mister. Leave me alone."

"I can't do that Angel. Max won't let me come back without you."

She whirled around. "Jeb?" She asked, shocked.

"Of course." He forced a very convincing smile. "You didn't think I'd forget you, did you."

"Kinda, why'd you leave me?"

"I didn't want to Angel. I've been looking for you all this time, dearest." He lied. "Come on, we've got to get back to the others."

He didn't answer her question but she didn't mind. She just wanted out of this nightmare. He smiled as he led her away, making a mental note to report and let his superiors know later, but for now he had to get her home. For now she was safe.

**Please R&R. I'm thinking about writing a sequel. Review and vote yea or nay.**


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